Systems and methods of facilitating installment-by-installment consumption of discrete installments of a unitary media program

ABSTRACT

An exemplary method includes a computer-implemented media service system 1) dividing a unitary media program into a plurality of contiguous segments, 2) forming, from the plurality of contiguous segments, a plurality of discrete installments of the unitary media program, and 3) providing an end user of a media service with installment-by-installment access to the plurality of discrete installments of the unitary media program. In certain examples, the method may further include the system providing an option for selection by the end user to access the unitary media program by way of a normal-access mode or an installment-access mode. The normal-access mode may be configured to facilitate a start-to-finish consumption of the unitary media program in a single playback session, and the installment-access mode may be configured to facilitate installment-by-installment consumption of the discrete installments of the unitary media program in multiple, discrete playback sessions.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 61/846,603, filed Jul. 15, 2013. Thecontents of the provisional patent application are hereby incorporatedby reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

There are diverse ways for people to find and consume media programs.For example, a person wanting to watch a media program such as a moviemay utilize a video distribution service to access a digital copy of themovie through the service.

Such a user may want to watch a particular movie that has a durationthat is too lengthy to conveniently fit into the schedule of the user.In order to watch the movie, the user could adjust his or her scheduleto free up a long enough block of time within which the user can watchthe entire movie. However, doing so may inconvenience and/or may not bepreferred by the user.

Alternatively, the user could manually view the movie piecemeal, such asby manually pausing playback of the movie partway through the movie andmanually resuming playback of the movie at a later time. However, suchpiecemeal viewing of the movie may diminish the experience of the userwith the movie. For example, the manual pausing and resuming of playbackof the movie may be inconvenient and/or unreliable. For instance, amedia player device may stop tracking the position at which the moviewas paused, and/or the user may forget the exact position at which themovie was paused.

Moreover, the user may get caught up in the emotion of the movie andallow the playback of the movie to continue longer than the useroriginally intended, which may lead to the user having sacrifice one ormore other events on the user's schedule. In addition, even if the usermanually pauses playback of the movie partway through the movie, whenthe user manually resumes playback of the movie at a later time, thecontent of the part of the movie that was previously viewed by the usermay no longer be remembered or fresh in the mind of the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate various embodiments and are a partof the specification. The illustrated embodiments are merely examplesand do not limit the scope of the disclosure. Throughout the drawings,identical or similar reference numbers designate identical or similarelements.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary media service system according toprinciples described herein.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a generation of discrete installmentsof a unitary media program according to principles described herein.

FIG. 3 illustrates relationships between a unitary media program,contiguous segments of the unitary media program, and discreteinstallments of the unitary media program according to principlesdescribed herein.

FIG. 4 illustrates relationships between playback sessions and a unitarymedia program and discrete installments of the unitary media programaccording to principles described herein.

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary discrete installment that includessupplemental content appended to a contiguous segment of a unitary mediaprogram according to principles described herein.

FIGS. 6-8 illustrate exemplary views of graphical user interfacesaccording to principles described herein.

FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary implementation of the system of FIG. 1according to principles described herein.

FIG. 10 illustrates another exemplary implementation of the system ofFIG. 1 according to principles described herein.

FIG. 11 illustrates a table representing an exemplary set of differentmedia distribution models by way of which access to media programs maybe provided by way of a media distribution service according toprinciples described herein.

FIGS. 12-13 illustrate exemplary methods of facilitatinginstallment-by-installment consumption of discrete installments of aunitary media program according to principles described herein.

FIG. 14 illustrates an exemplary computing device according toprinciples described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Examples of systems and methods of facilitatinginstallment-by-installment consumption of discrete installments of aunitary media program are described herein. Installment-by-installmentconsumption of discrete installments of a unitary media program may befacilitated in any of the ways described herein. In certain examples,for instance, a media service system may 1) divide a unitary mediaprogram into a plurality of contiguous segments, 2) form, from theplurality of contiguous segments, a plurality of discrete installmentsof the unitary media program, and 3) provide an end user of a mediaservice with installment-by-installment access to the plurality ofdiscrete installments of the unitary media program, such as describedherein. The installment-by-installment access to the discreteinstallments of the unitary media program may facilitate aninstallment-by-installment consumption, by the end user, of one or moreof the discrete installments of the unitary media program.

Installment-by-installment access to and/or consumption of discreteinstallments of the unitary media program may be beneficial to one ormore end users of a media service. For example, a user may prefer towatch a long-form media program, such as a lengthy movie, in smallchunks at different times but may not want to deal with manuallystopping and resuming playback of the movie over time. Exemplary systemsand methods described herein may allow the user to conveniently and/orreliably access and consume discrete installments of the movieinstallment-by-installment, which may facilitate serialized consumptionof the movie in discrete installments. Such serialized consumption ofthe movie may fit a schedule of the user, fit one or more preferences ofthe user, allow the user to “snack” on discrete installments of themovie, and/or facilitate the user experiencing a sense of anticipation,accomplishment, and/or satisfaction associated with serializedconsumption of the movie in installments.

These and/or other benefits and/or advantages that may be provided bysystems and methods described herein will be made apparent by thefollowing detailed description. Exemplary systems and methods offacilitating installment-by-installment consumption of discreteinstallments of a unitary media program will now be described inreference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary media service system 100 (“system 100”)configured to provide a media service and/or one or more features of amedia service to one or more end users of the media service (e.g., oneor more subscribers to the media service). The media service may includeany service that provides end users of the service with one or morefeatures and/or tools configured to facilitate user discovery, access,and/or consumption of media content. For example, system 100 may providea media service through which end users of the service may access aunitary media program and/or discrete installments of the unitary mediaprogram, such as described herein. System 100 may be associated with(e.g., operated by) a provider of the media service (“serviceprovider”).

As shown, system 100 may include, without limitation, a media managementfacility 102, a user interface facility 104, and a storage facility 106selectively and communicatively coupled to one another. It will berecognized that although facilities 102-106 are shown to be separatefacilities in FIG. 1, any of facilities 102-106 may be combined intofewer facilities, such as into a single facility, or divided into morefacilities as may serve a particular implementation. For example, mediamanagement facility 102 may be divided into any number of facilitiesconfigured to provide any number of media management features (e.g.,media serialization features) of a media service. Additionally oralternatively, one or more of the facilities 102-106 may be omitted fromand external to system 100 in other implementations. For example,storage facility 106 may be external of and communicatively coupled tosystem 100 in certain alternative implementations. Facilities 102-106 ofsystem 100 may include or be otherwise implemented by one or morecomputing devices configured to perform one or more of the operationsdescribed herein. In such implementations, system 100 may be referred toas a computer-implemented system 100.

Storage facility 106 may be configured to store data generated and/orused by media management facility 102 and/or user interface facility104. For example, storage facility 106 may store media data 108representative of media content that is discoverable and/or accessiblethrough a media service. As used herein, the term “media content” mayrefer to any form of media that may be distributed through a mediaservice and discovered, accessed, and/or consumed by a user of the mediaservice. Media content may include discrete instances of media, whichmay be referred to as media programs. The term “media program” may referto any television program, on-demand media program, pay-per-view mediaprogram, broadcast media program (e.g., broadcast television program),multicast media program (e.g., multicast television program), narrowcastmedia program (e.g., narrowcast video-on-demand program), IPTV mediaprogram, video program, movie, audio program, radio program, or anyother media program that a user may access by way of the media service.Such media programs that are made available for user consumption througha media service may be accessed and/or played back by an appropriatelyconfigured media player device for presentation to a user.

Media data 108 may represent actual content of media content and/orinformation about the media content. For example, media data 108 mayinclude metadata (e.g., information about genre, cast, title, playbackduration, release date, chaptering information, etc.) and/or enrichedmetadata (e.g., user-defined tags, ratings, etc.) for the media content.In certain examples, media data 108 may represent information aboutmedia programs included in a repository of on-demand media content.

Storage facility 106 may include media serialization data 110 usedand/or generated by media management facility 102. For example, mediaserialization data 110 may represent discrete installments of a unitarymedia program that are generated by media management facility 102.Additionally or alternatively, media serialization data 110 mayrepresent an installment generation heuristic that specifies one or morefactors upon which generation of discrete installments of a unitarymedia program may be based. Accordingly, media management facility 102may use the installment generation heuristic to determine how togenerate the discrete installments from a unitary media program, such asdescribed herein.

Storage facility 106 may include user data 112 associated with one ormore end users of a media service, such as data representing userprofiles of the users. As described herein, such user profiles mayspecify information about users in relation to serialization of mediaprograms and/or installment-by-installment access to discreteinstallments of media programs. Storage facility 106 may storeadditional or alternative data as may serve a particular implementation.

Data stored by storage facility 106 may be accessed by system 100 fromany suitable source, including a source internal or external to system100. Storage facility 106 may permanently or temporarily store data. Incertain examples, system 100 may access certain data from a sourceexternal to system 100 and temporarily store the data in storagefacility 106 for use by media management facility 102 and/or userinterface facility 104. In certain examples, data generated by mediamanagement facility 102 and/or user interface facility 104 may be storedpermanently or temporarily to storage facility 106.

Media management facility 102 may be configured to perform one or moreoperations to serialize a unitary media program, which may includegenerating discrete installments of the unitary media program forinstallment-by-installment access of the discrete installments. Forexample, media management facility 102 may perform one or moreoperations to generate discrete installments of the unitary mediaprogram, such as by dividing a unitary media program into a plurality ofcontiguous segments and forming, from the plurality of contiguoussegments, a plurality of discrete installments of the unitary mediaprogram. Media management facility 102 may be configured to generatediscrete installments of a unitary media program in any suitable way,including entirely automatically without user input dedicated to theserialization of the unitary media program and/or based at least in parton user input (e.g., user input dedicated to the serialization of theunitary media program and/or user input that is incidental to userinteraction with the media service). Examples of operations to generatediscrete installments of a unitary media program will now be described.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a generation 200 of discreteinstallments of a unitary media program 202. As illustrated, mediamanagement facility 102 may have access to the unitary media program 202and an installment generation heuristic 204. Media management facility102 may use the installment generation heuristic 204 and the unitarymedia program 202 (e.g., information about the unitary media program 202specified by media data 108) to generate discrete installments 206(e.g., installments 206-1 through 206-3) of the unitary media program202. The installment generation heuristic 204 may specify one or morefactors to be considered by media management facility 102 in generatingthe discrete installments 206 of the unitary media program 202. Thefactors specified by the installment generation heuristic 204 mayinclude any of the exemplary factors described herein and may be definedby an end user and/or a provider of a media service.

In certain examples, media management facility 102 may generate thediscrete installments 206 by dividing the unitary media program 202 intoa plurality of contiguous segments. This may include media managementfacility 102 identifying at least one division point within the unitarymedia program 202 based on at least one division factor specified by theinstallment generation heuristic 204 and splitting the unitary mediaprogram 202 at the identified at least one division point to divide theunitary media program 202 into the plurality of contiguous segments.

Media management facility 102 may identify one or more division pointswithin the unitary media program 202 based on any suitable set ofdivision factors specified by the installment generation heuristic 204.The division factors may be defined to promote identification ofdivision points at playback positions that are well-suited for stoppingand starting playback. For example, the division factors may indicatethat the identification of division points is to be based on, withoutlimitation, community-favored scenes (e.g., popular scenes among usersof the media service), time that a user has available or wants to spendwatching each discrete installment (e.g., small, medium, largeinstallments, or a maximum length of playback time for an installment,etc.), natural breaks in scenes in the unitary media program (e.g.,scene changes), camera view switches in the unitary media program,predefined chapters in the unitary media program, and/or any otherattribute(s) of the unitary media program that may be used to identifydivision points within the unitary media program. Examples ofidentifying a division point based on one or more of these exemplarydivision factors will now be described.

In certain examples, media management facility 102 may identify adivision point in relation to a popular scene of the unitary mediaprogram 202, the popular scene determined to be popular based on ratingsprovided by a community of users. For example, media management facility102 may place the division point temporally before, after, or within thepopular scene.

In certain examples, media management facility 102 may identify adivision point based on a user-defined preferred length of a discreteinstallment of the unitary media program 202 (e.g., an amount of timethat the user wants to spend watching a discrete installment). Forexample, the user may provide input indicating a preferred length of adiscrete installment 206, and media management facility 102 may placethe division point based on a resultant size of the continuous segmentsthat will be created by splitting the unitary media program 202 at thedivision point. To illustrate one example, an end user of a mediaservice may provide input indicating that the user prefers a “small,”“medium,” or “large” size of discrete installments, and media managementfacility 102 may identify, based on this input, a division point tocreate continuous segments that match the user-preferred length.Alternatively, the end user may provide input indicating a maximumlength for discrete installments.

In certain examples, media management facility 102 may identify adivision point based on a natural break in a scene in the unitary mediaprogram 202. For example, media management facility 102 may analyze thecontent of the unitary media program 202 and/or data descriptive of theunitary media program 202 to detect a natural break in a scene in anysuitable way, such as based on audio and/or video parameters indicativeof a natural break in a scene. For instance, media management facility102 may detect a prolonged audio attribute (e.g., quietness) and/or avideo attribute (e.g., a black or blank screen) indicative of a naturalbreak in a scene.

In certain examples, media management facility 102 may identify adivision point based on a switch in camera view in the unitary mediaprogram 202. For example, media management facility 102 may detect oneor more attributes of video indicative of a change from one camera viewto another camera view in the unitary media program 202 (e.g., bydetecting pixel attribute changes above a predefined threshold that mayindicate a change in camera view).

In certain examples, media management facility 102 may identify adivision point based on predefined chapters in the unitary media program202. For example, media management facility 102 may access and usechaptering information (e.g., chaptering information in media data 108)for the unitary media program 202 to identify a point at which a chapterends or begins and position the division point relative to the end orbeginning of the chapter.

In certain examples, media management facility 102 may identify one ormore division points within the unitary media program 202 based on userinput indicating the division points. For example, an end user or aprovider of a media service may provide input to indicate a divisionpoint to be used by media management facility 102. In response, mediamanagement facility 102 may identify the division point to match thedivision point indicated by the user, which may include media managementfacility 102 generating data representative of the division point inresponse to the user input.

FIG. 3 illustrates division points 302 (e.g., division points 302-1 and302-2) placed at positions within the unitary media program 202 to splitthe unitary media program 202 into contiguous segments 304 (e.g.,continuous segments 304-1 through 304-3). As shown, the splitting of theunitary media program 202 into the contiguous segments 304 does notremove any content of the unitary media program. Accordingly, no contentof the unitary media program 202 is omitted from the contiguous segments304, and the contiguous segments 304 may be combined in sequential orderto form the entire unitary media program 202.

Media management facility 102 may form, from the plurality of contiguoussegments 304, the plurality of discrete installments 206 of the unitarymedia program 202. For example, media management facility 102 may formdiscrete installment 206-1 from contiguous segment 304-1 such that thediscrete installment 206-1 contains the contiguous segment 206-1, asrepresented by arrow 306-1 in FIG. 3. Media management facility 102 maysimilarly form discrete installment 206-2 from contiguous segment 304-2as represented by arrow 306-2, and discrete installment 206-3 fromcontiguous segment 304-3 as represented by arrow 306-3.

The forming of a discrete installment 206 may include media managementfacility 102 configuring the discrete installment 206 to be processed asa standalone unit in a media access operation. For example, the discreteinstallment 206 may be configured as a standalone unit to beindividually processed as a unit in media access operations such asmedia discovery, access, and/or consumption operations. For instance,the discrete installment 206 may be configured as a standalone unit fordownload, streaming, and/or playback operations. The configuration ofthe discrete installment 206 may include media management facility 102adding data structure and/or any suitable elements to the contiguoussegment 304 to form the discrete installment 206 configured forstandalone processing.

To illustrate, the forming of a discrete installment 206 may includemedia management facility 102 configuring the discrete installment 206for standalone playback in an individual playback session. Theconfiguration may include media management facility 102 adding datastructure and/or any suitable elements to the contiguous segment 304 toform the discrete installment 206 configured for standalone playback inan individual playback session. For example, media management facility102 may add data structure and/or elements associated with a launch anda termination of a playback session to the discrete installment 206 suchthat a playback of the discrete installment 206 in a playback sessionmay include launching the playback session, playing back the contiguoussegment 304 contained in the discrete installment 206, and terminatingthe playback session after the playback of the contiguous segment 304concludes within the playback session. Accordingly, within the single,individual playback session, the continuous segment 304 contained in thediscrete installment 206 may be played back from start to finish,without playback of any other continuous segment 304 of the unitarymedia program 202 occurring in the same playback session. In order toplay back another continuous segment 304 of the unitary media program202, a separate and individual playback session would be launched. Thus,in at least this manner, each discrete installment 304 of the unitarymedia program 202 is configured as a standalone unit for standaloneplayback in an individual playback session (e.g., an individual playbacksession dedicated exclusively to playback of the discrete installment304). In this manner, a standalone unit of media such as a discreteinstallment 206 is configured for playback in an individual playbacksession.

Accordingly, the unitary media program 202 may be configured as astandalone unit for start-to-finish playback of the entire unitary mediaprogram 202 in an individual playback session, and each discreteinstallment 206 of the unitary media program 202 may be configured as astandalone unit for dedicated start-to-finish playback of the contiguoussegment 304 contained in the discrete installment 206. In this respect,the unitary media program 202 may be configured to be processed as astandalone unit, and each discrete installment 206 of the unitary mediaprogram 202 may be configured to function as a standalone unit to beindividually processed as a unit in media access operations.

To further illustrate the standalone configuration of the unitary mediaprogram 202 and each discrete installment 206 of the unitary mediaprogram 202, FIG. 4 shows relationships between discrete playbacksessions 402 (e.g., playback sessions 402-1 through 402-4) and theunitary media program 202 and discrete installments 206 of the unitarymedia program 202. As shown, the unitary media program 202 may beconfigured for continuous, standalone playback in playback session402-1. The discrete installments 206 may be configured for individualplayback in multiple, separate playback sessions 402-2, 402-3, and402-4. Specifically, discrete installment 206-1 may be configured forcontinuous, standalone playback in playback session 402-2, discreteinstallment 206-2 may be configured for continuous, standalone playbackin playback session 402-3, and discrete installment 206-3 may beconfigured for continuous, standalone playback in playback session402-4. Each playback session 402 may be launched to begin the playbacksession 402 and may be terminated to end of the playback session. Withina playback session, playback of media content may be manually stopped,paused, and resumed by a user within terminating the playback session.

In certain examples, the forming of a discrete installment 206 mayinclude media management facility 102 adding supplementation content forinclusion together with the corresponding contiguous segment 304 in thediscrete installment 206. For example, media management facility 102 mayappend supplemental content to at least one of a beginning and an end ofthe contiguous segment 304 contained in the discrete installment 206.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a discrete installment 502 of theunitary media program 202. As shown, discrete installment 502 mayinclude contiguous segment 304-2 of the unitary media program 202,supplement content 504-1 appended to the beginning of the contiguoussegment 304-2, and supplement content 504-2 appended to the end of thecontiguous segment 304-2. Discrete installment 502 may be configured asa standalone unit, such as described herein.

Supplemental content may include any media content that may be playedback together with the contiguous segment 304-2 in a single playbacksession. For example, supplemental content may include, withoutlimitation, advertisement content, introductory media content configuredto be played back as an introduction to the contiguous segment 304-2,recap media content configured to be played back to provide a recap of asequentially previous contiguous segment (e.g., contiguous segment304-1), preview media content configured to be played back to provide apreview of a sequentially subsequent contiguous segment (e.g.,contiguous segment 304-3), and any combination or sub-combinationthereof.

Media management facility 102 may select supplemental content to beadded to discrete installment 502 based on any suitable set of selectionfactors specified by the installment generation heuristic 204. Theselection factors may be defined to promote selection of supplementalcontent that is relevant to the contiguous segment 304-2 contained inthe discrete installment 502, relevant to other continuous segments304-1 and/or 304-3 of the unitary media program 202, and/or potentiallyhelpful and/or of interest to a user who consumes the discreteinstallment 502.

For example, the selection factors may indicate that the selection ofsupplemental content is to be based on, without limitation,community-favored scenes (e.g., popular scenes among users of the mediaservice), time that a user has available or wants to spend watching eachdiscrete installment (e.g., small, medium, large installments, or amaximum length of playback time for an installment, etc.), naturalbreaks in scenes in the unitary media program (e.g., scene changes),camera view switches in the unitary media program, predefined chaptersin the unitary media program, relationships between discreteinstallments and/or contiguous segments of the unitary media program 202(e.g., temporal positioning of content relative to a discreteinstallment and/or contiguous segment of the unitary media program 202),any other attribute(s) of the unitary media program 202 that may be usedto select supplemental content, and/or any combination orsub-combination of such factors. Examples of selecting supplementalcontent based on one or more of these exemplary selection factors willnow be described.

In certain examples, media management facility 102 may selectsupplemental content based on community-favored scenes of the unitarymedia program 202. For example, media management facility 102 may selectone or more community-favored scenes of the unitary media program 202,as measured by user ratings of scenes within a community such as acommunity of end users of a media service, to add to the discreteinstallment 502. As an example, media management facility 102 may selectone or more community-favored scenes from the contiguous segment 304-1sequentially previous to contiguous segment 304-2 to be appended to thebeginning of contiguous segment 304-2 in the discrete installment 502 tobe played back to provide a recap of the subject matter of thesequentially previous contiguous segment 304-1. As another example,media management facility 102 may select one or more community-favoredscenes from the contiguous segment 304-3 sequentially subsequent tocontiguous segment 304-2 to be appended to the end of contiguous segment304-2 in the discrete installment 502 to be played back to provide apreview of the subject matter of the sequentially subsequent contiguoussegment 304-3.

In certain examples, media management facility 102 may selectsupplemental content based on a user-defined preferred length of adiscrete installment of the unitary media program 202 (e.g., an amountof time that the user wants to spend watching a discrete installment).For example, the user may provide input indicating a preferred length ofa discrete installment, and media management facility 102 may selectsupplemental content to add to the discrete installment based on how theplayback length of the supplemental content will affect the totalplayback length of the discrete installment.

In certain examples, media management facility 102 may selectsupplemental content based on a natural break in a scene in the unitarymedia program 202. For example, media management facility 102 may selecta start or stop point of supplemental content based on a natural breakin a scene in the unitary media program 202.

In certain examples, media management facility 102 may selectsupplemental content based on a switch in camera view in the unitarymedia program 202. For example, media management facility 102 may selecta start or stop point of supplemental content based on a change from onecamera view to another camera view in the unitary media program 202.

In certain examples, media management facility 102 may selectsupplemental content based on predefined chapters in the unitary mediaprogram 202. For example, media management facility 102 may access anduse chaptering information (e.g., chaptering information in media data108) for the unitary media program 202 to select supplemental contentfrom different chapters of the unitary media program 202.

In certain examples, media management facility 102 may selectsupplemental content based on relationships between discreteinstallments and/or contiguous segments of the unitary media program202. For example, media management facility 102 may select supplementalcontent from contiguous segments that are temporally adjacent to thecontinuous segment 304-2 contained in the discrete installment 502 towhich the supplemental content will be added. For instance, mediamanagement facility 102 may select supplemental content from contiguoussegment 304-1 for inclusion in supplemental content 504-1 (e.g., as arecap of contiguous segment 304-1) and/or may select supplementalcontent from contiguous segment 304-3 for inclusion in supplementalcontent 504-2 of discrete installment 502 (e.g., as a preview ofcontiguous segment 304-3). In this manner, a recap may be played back toremind a user of previously consumed content, and a preview may beplayed back to help the user become interested or more interested in thenext sequential content of the unitary media program 202.

In certain examples, media management facility 102 may selectsupplemental content to be added to discrete installment 502 based onuser input indicating the supplemental content. For example, an end useror a provider of a media service may provide input to indicate specificsupplemental content to be added to discrete installment 502. Inresponse, media management facility 102 may select the supplementalcontent indicated by the user for addition to discrete installment 502.

Media management facility 102 may be configured to provide one or moretools for use by a user to define factors to be used by media managementfacility 102 to generate discrete installments of a unitary mediaprogram. For example, media management facility 102 may provide one ormore tools in a user interface for use by the user to provide input todefine such factors. This may allow the user to provide input for use bymedia management facility 102 to generate customized discreteinstallments of a unitary media program. For example, the user maydefine factors such as a preferred length of a discrete segment, whethera recap of a previous discrete installment of the unitary media programis to be included in a discrete segment, whether a preview of asubsequent discrete installment of the unitary media program is to beincluded in a discrete segment, other factors that may be used by mediamanagement facility 102 to generate discrete installments of a unitarymedia program, and/or any combination or sub-combination thereof.

In certain examples, media management facility 102 may be configured toprovide user access to the unitary media program 202. For example, mediamanagement facility 102 may maintain data representative of the unitarymedia program 202 (e.g., in media data 108) and use the data to provideuser access to the unitary media program 202, such as by streaming ordownloading a digital copy of the unitary media program 202 to a usercomputing device associated with a user of a media service.

In addition or alternative to providing user access to the unitary mediaprogram 202, media management facility 102 may be configured to provideinstallment-by-installment user access to discrete installments (e.g.,discrete installments 206 and/or 502) of the unitary media program 202.For example, media management facility 102 may maintain datarepresentative of the discrete installments of the unitary media program202 (e.g., in media data 108) and use the data to provideinstallment-by-installment user access to the discrete installments ofthe unitary media program 202, such as by individually streaming ordownloading a digital copy of a discrete installment of the unitarymedia program 202 to a user computing device associated with a user of amedia service.

Installment-by-installment access to discrete installments of theunitary media program 202 may facilitate installment-by-installmentconsumption, by an end user of the media service, of one or more of thediscrete installments of the unitary media program 202. In certainexamples, the end user may be able to individually choose any of thediscrete installments to access and/or consume on-demand. In certainexamples, media management facility 102 may release discreteinstallments of the unitary media program 202 in sequential orderon-demand or over time, such as in accordance with a user-defined orprovider-defined release schedule (e.g., daily, weekly, etc.) tofacilitate serialized access to and/or consumption of the discreteinstallments of the unitary media program 202.

In certain examples, installment-by-installment access to discreteinstallments of the unitary media program 202 may facilitateinstallment-by-installment consumption of the unitary media program 202in multiple, discrete playback sessions of the plurality of discreteinstallments. Such consumption may be a serialized consumption of theunitary media program 202 in discrete installments. For example, the enduser of the media service may access and consume discrete installment206-1 in a first playback session (e.g., on a first day), discreteinstallment 206-2 in a second playback session (e.g., on a second day),and discrete installment 206-3 in a third playback session (e.g., on athird day) to serially consume the unitary media program 202. Suchaccess to discrete installments may be provided by media managementfacility 102 operating in a serialized-access mode.

In certain examples, media management facility 102 may be configured toprovide, after termination of a playback session in which a discreteinstallment of a unitary media program is played back, a post-playbackoption selectable by a user to initiate playback of another discreteinstallment of the unitary media program or another (e.g., related)unitary media program. For example, after a discrete installment isplayed back, media management facility 102 may provide an option forselection by the user to launch another playback session to play back anext sequential discrete installment of a unitary media program or adiscrete installment of another unitary media program related to theunitary media program.

As described herein, each discrete installment of the unitary mediaprogram 202 may be configured to be processed as a standalone unit in amedia access operation, such as in any of the media access operationsdescribed herein.

Media management facility 102 may be configured to provide one or moretools for use by a user to define how discrete installments aredistributed to the user. For example, media management facility 102 mayprovide one or more tools in a user interface for use by the user toprovide input to define distribution factors to be used by mediamanagement facility 102 to distribute discrete installments to the user.For example, the user may define a distribution factor such as apreferred release time or schedule be followed by media managementfacility 102 to distribute (e.g., download, release, or otherwise makeaccessible) discrete installments of a unitary media program to theuser.

In certain examples, media management facility 102 may be configured toprovide an option for selection by an end user of a media service toaccess the unitary media program 202 by way of a normal-access mode or aserialized-access mode. The normal-access mode may be configured tofacilitate a start-to-finish consumption of the unitary media program202 in a single playback session of the unitary media program 202.Accordingly, in response to the normal-access mode being selected by theend user, media management facility 102 may provide access to theunitary media program 202 as a standalone unit.

The serialized-access mode may be configured to facilitate aninstallment-by-installment consumption of the unitary media program 202in multiple, discrete playback sessions of discrete installments of theunitary media program 202. Accordingly, in response to theserialized-access mode being selected by the end user, media managementfacility 102 may provide access to the unitary media program 202 asdiscrete installments, with each discrete installment processed as astandalone unit.

Media management facility 102 may be configured to provide theuser-selectable option to the end user in any suitable way, such as in auser interface associated with the media service. Examples of such anoption in a user interface will now be described in reference toexemplary graphical user interface (“GUI”) views. The exemplary optionsand GUI views are illustrative only. Other options may be included inother GUI views in other examples.

FIG. 6 illustrates an access mode selection view 600 (“view 600”) as maybe displayed on a display screen associated with an end user of a mediaservice and in which an option may be provided for selection by a userto access a media program by way of either a normal-access mode or aninstallment-access mode, which may be a serialized-access mode. Asshown, view 600 may include user interface content related to a specificmedia program, such as a movie titled “Captain America: The FirstAvenger.” View 600 may also include options for accessing the mediaprogram in either a normal-access mode or an installment-access mode.For example, view 600 may include an option 602 configured to beselected by a user to access the media program in a normal-access modein which the entire media program may be accessed as a standalone unit,such as by playing back the entire media program in a playback session.In addition, view 600 may include an option 602 configured to beselected by the user to access the media program in aninstallment-access mode in which discrete installment of the mediaprogram may be accessed installment-by-installment as standalone units,such as by playing back the discrete installments in multiple, discreteplayback sessions.

Media management facility 102 may provide view 600 in a user interfacein any suitable context. For example, media management facility 102 mayprovide view 600 for display in response to a user request to access(e.g., download, stream, playback, etc.) the media program

FIG. 7 illustrates a media service information view 700 (“informationview 700”) for a media program as may be displayed on a display screenassociated with an end user of the media service. As shown, informationview 700 may include user interface content related to a specific mediaprogram, including information about and options for accessing the mediaprogram.

Information view 700 may include an icon 702 representing a userselectable option to access one or more options for accessing a digitalformat of the media program on-demand. Icon 702 may include a visualindicator 704 indicative of an existence of a drop-down menu of suchoptions that may be displayed in response to a user selection of icon702 or visual indicator 704. In response to such a selection, adrop-down menu 706 may be displayed in information view 700, as shown inFIG. 7.

As shown, drop-down menu 706 may include user-selectable options foraccessing the media program. For example, drop-down menu 706 may includeone or more options for accessing the media program in accordance with anormal-access mode, such as a “Watch Now” option for selection by a userto access and play back the entire media program as a whole based on asubscription of the user to a media service, a “Rent” option forselection by the user to rent the media program as a whole in highdefinition format, and a “a purchase” option for selection by the userto rent the media program as a whole.

Additionally or alternatively, drop-down menu 706 may include one ormore options for accessing the media program in accordance with aninstallment-access mode, such as an “Access by Installment” option 708for selection by the user to access the media program by installment. Inresponse to a user selection of option 708, media management facility102 may perform one or more operations to provide or facilitateinstallment-by-installment access to discrete installments of the mediaprogram.

In certain examples, in response to a user selection of option 708,media management facility 102 may provide another pop-out menu thatincludes one or more options related to accessing discrete installmentsof the media program by installment. For example, FIG. 8 illustratesanother information view 800 in which a pop-out menu 802 is displayed.As shown, pop-out menu 802 may include options 804 (e.g., options 804-1through 804-5) for accessing discrete installments of the media program.For example, pop-out menu 802 may include option 804-1 for individuallyaccessing a first installment of the media program, option 804-2 forindividually accessing a second installment of the media program, option804-3 for individually accessing a third installment of the mediaprogram, and option 804-4 for individually accessing a fourthinstallment of the media program. Each of the options 804-1 through804-4 may visually indicate a playback duration and/or other informationabout the respective installment.

In addition, pop-out menu 802 may include option 804-5 for accessingdiscrete installments of the media program in accordance with aserialized-access mode. In response to a user selection of option 804-5,media management facility 102 may provide sequentialinstallment-by-installment access to the installments of the mediaprogram in a serialized manner. In certain example, in response to auser selection of option 804-5, media management facility 102 mayadditionally or alternatively provide one or more tools for use by theuser to configure the serialized access to the installments of the mediaprogram. For example, media management facility 102 may provide a toolfor use by the user to configure a distribution schedule by which theinstallments will be serially distributed to and/or accessed by the user(e.g., on a daily basis).

Returning to FIG. 1, user interface facility 104 may be configured toperform one or more operations to provide one or more user interfacesassociated with a media service. For example, user interface facility104 may be configured to provide a user interface through which users ofthe media service may access and interface with the media service todiscover, access, and consume media programs. The user interface may bein any suitable form. For example, user interface facility 104 may beconfigured to provide a website, a client application user interface(e.g., a user interface provided by a client application such as a“mobile app” installed and running on a user computing system), a mediaplayer user interface, a GUI, and/or any other form of user interfaceconfigured to facilitate interaction with the media service.

A user interface provided by user interface facility 104 may include anyof the exemplary user interface views described herein. Media managementfacility 102 and user interface facility 104 may interact to generateand provide a user interface for presentation to a user. For example,media management facility 102 may provide user interface content, suchas the examples of user interface content illustrated herein, to userinterface facility 104 for inclusion in a GUI view to be provided (e.g.,transmitted, rendered, and/or displayed) to a user by user interfacefacility 104.

System 100 may be embodied in any suitable implementation as may suit aparticular application of principles described herein. To illustrated,examples of such implementations will now be described.

FIG. 9 shows an exemplary implementation 900 of system 100. As shown,implementation 900 may include user computing systems 902 (e.g., usercomputing systems 902-1 through 902-N) respectively associated withusers 904 (e.g., users 904-1 through 904-N), which may be end users of amedia service provided by system 100. User computing systems 902 may bein communication with a media service server system 906 (“server system906”), which may include one or more computing devices (e.g., serverdevices remotely located from user computing systems 902). Inimplementation 900, one or more of facilities 102-106 of system 100 maybe implemented entirely by a user computing system 902, entirely byserver system 906, or distributed across a user computing system 902 andserver system 906 in any manner configured to facilitate a user 904accessing the media service and/or media programs provided by system100.

User computing systems 902 and server system 906 may communicate usingany communication platforms and technologies suitable for transportingdata (e.g., media program data) and/or communication signals, includingknown communication technologies, devices, media, and protocolssupportive of remote communications, examples of which include, but arenot limited to, data transmission media, communications devices,Transmission Control Protocol (“TCP”), Internet Protocol (“IP”),Hypertext Transfer Protocol (“HTTP”), Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure(“HTTPS”), Session Initiation Protocol (“SIP”), Simple Object AccessProtocol (“SOAP”), Extensible Mark-up Language (“XML”) and variationsthereof, Real-Time Transport Protocol (“RTP”), User Datagram Protocol(“UDP”), Global System for Mobile Communications (“GSM”) technologies,Code Division Multiple Access (“CDMA”) technologies, Time DivisionMultiple Access (“TDMA”) technologies, Short Message Service (“SMS”),Multimedia Message Service (“MMS”), radio frequency (“RF”) signalingtechnologies, wireless communication technologies, Internetcommunication technologies, media streaming technologies, media downloadtechnologies, and other suitable communications technologies.

In certain embodiments, user computing systems 902 and server system 906may communicate via a network 908. Network 908 may include one or morenetworks, such as one or more wireless networks (Wi-Fi networks),wireless communication networks, mobile telephone networks (e.g.,cellular telephone networks), closed media networks, open medianetworks, wide area networks (e.g., the Internet), local area networks,and any other networks capable of carrying data (e.g., streaming and/ordownloading media programs) and/or communications signals between usercomputing systems 902 and server system 906. Communications between usercomputing systems 902 and server system 906 may be transported using anyone of the above-listed networks, or any combination or sub-combinationof the above-listed networks. Alternatively, user computing systems 902and server system 906 may communicate in another way such as by directconnections between user computing systems 902 and server system 906.

Server system 906 may be configured to distribute media programs to usercomputing systems 902 for access and use by user computing systems 902to present media programs for consumption by users 904. Server system906 may distribute media programs to user computing systems 902 as partof the media service provided by system 100 and using any suitable mediastreaming and/or downloading technologies (e.g., Internet mediastreaming and/or downloading technologies). In certain examples, themedia service may comprise an online media streaming service such as anInternet streaming video service, and server system 906 may beconfigured to stream media programs on-demand to user computing systems902 by way of network 908.

In certain examples, server system 906 may be configured to provide oneor more user interfaces for access by user computing systems 902. Theuser interfaces may be configured for use by users 904 to interact withthe media service, including discovering and/or accessing media programsdistributed by way of the media service. The user interfaces may includeany of the exemplary user interface views described herein.

A user computing system 902 may be configured for use by a user 904associated with (e.g., operating) the user computing system 902 toaccess the media service provided by system 100. For example, the user904 may utilize the user computing system 902 to access one or more userinterfaces provided by system 100 as part of the media service, and topresent the user interfaces for use by the user 904 to discover, access,and/or consume media programs and/or discrete installments of mediaprograms distributed by server system 906 as part of the media service.

A user computing system 902 may include one or more user computingdevices associated with a user 904. Examples of such devices include,without limitation, a media player computing device, a display device, aset-top box, a digital video recording (“DVR”) device, a computer, atablet computer, a smart phone device, and any other device capable ofaccessing the media service and/or media programs provided by system100.

In certain examples, a user computing system 902 may include a firstuser computing device (e.g., a primary display device) configured toplay back a media program and a second user computing device (e.g., asecondary or companion display device) configured to display a graphicaluser interface that may compliment or be used together with the playbackof the media program by the first user computing device. For instance, atelevision may provide a primary display screen on which a video programmay be displayed, and a tablet computer may provide a secondary displayscreen on which a graphical user interface (e.g., a graphical userinterface related to the video program, the playback of the videoprogram, and/or the media service) may be displayed. Such an example isillustrative only. Other examples of a user computing system 902 mayinclude any combination of user computing devices or a single usercomputing device configured to perform any of the user computing systemand/or device operations described herein.

FIG. 10 illustrates another exemplary implementation 1000 of system 100.Implementation 1000 is similar to implementation 900 and additionallyutilizes an exemplary media distribution configuration to distributemedia programs to end users of a media distribution service. The mediadistribution configuration may support distribution of media programs,through the media distribution service, by way of multiple differentmedia distribution channels, such as a digital media distributionchannel and a physical media distribution channel. As shown, serversystem 1006 may distribute media programs such as digital data 1002representative of a media program to user computing system 902-1 by wayof a digital media distribution channel 1004. This distribution mayutilize any suitable media streaming and/or downloading technologies(e.g., Internet media streaming and/or downloading technologies) tosupport delivery of digital data representative of media programs touser computing system 902 by way of network 908.

As further shown in FIG. 10, server system 906 may be in communicationwith a media vending kiosk system 1006, which may include one or moregeographically distributed vending kiosks 1008 (e.g., vending kiosks1008-1 and 1008-2) configured to vend physical copies of media programs,such as a physical copy 1010 of a media program, to user 904-1 by way ofa physical media distribution channel 1012. For example, user 904-1 mayvisit a location of media vending kiosk 1008-1 and obtain the physicalcopy 1010 of the media program from the media vending kiosk 1008-1. Incertain examples, one or more of the vending kiosks 1008 may includeautomated media vending machines.

In certain examples, implementation 1000 may be configured to provideusers of the media distribution service with access to media programs byway of a plurality of different media distribution models (“distributionmodels”). Each distribution model may define a particular way that anend user of the media distribution service may gain access to mediaprograms through the media distribution service. Thus, a user of themedia distribution service may be able to gain access to media programsby way of multiple different distribution models.

In certain examples, the distribution models may include multipledistribution channel-based models such as a digital media distributionmodel that corresponds to a digital media distribution channel and aphysical media distribution model that corresponds to a physical mediadistribution channel. For example, a digital media programs distributionmodel may include and/or utilize the digital media distribution channel1004 of FIG. 10, and a physical media distribution model may include orutilize the physical media distribution channel 1012 of FIG. 10.

Additionally or alternatively, the distribution models may includedifferent compensation-based models for gaining access to mediaprograms. For example, the distribution models may include one or moresubscription-based distribution models and one or moretransactional-based distribution models. A subscription-baseddistribution model may be defined by a service provider to provide auser with access to certain media programs based on a subscription ofthe user to the media distribution service (e.g., a monthly-feesubscription, a temporary free-trial subscription, or another definedsubscription). A transactional-based distribution model may be definedby a service provider to provide a user with access to certain mediaprograms based on discrete transactions dedicated to accessing specificmedia programs. For example, access to a media program may be providedin exchange for a fee dedicated to a rental or a purchase of the mediaprogram. The conditions of the access may be defined to be different fora rental and a purchase of the media program, in which case each of therental and the purchase may be a different transaction-baseddistribution model (e.g., a media rental distribution model and a mediapurchase distribution model).

In certain examples, the distribution models may include differentmodels that are combinations of channel-based distribution models andcompensation-based distribution models. For example, the differentmodels may include one or more of a subscription-based and digitalchannel-based distribution model, a transactional-based and digitalchannel-based distribution model, a subscription-based and physicalchannel-based distribution model, and a transactional-based and physicalchannel-based distribution model.

Implementation 1000 may be configured to provide users of the mediadistribution service with access to media programs by way of any of thedifferent distribution models described herein, or by way of anycombination or sub-combination thereof. As an example, FIG. 11illustrates a table 1100 representing a set of different distributionmodels by way of which access to media programs may be provided throughthe media distribution service in certain examples. As shown, the set ofdistribution models includes a first distribution model 1102-1associated with subscription-based access to media programs by way of adigital media distribution channel, a second distribution model 1102-2associated with transactional-based access to media programs by way ofthe digital media distribution channel, and a third distribution model1102-3 associated with either or both subscription-based ortransactional-based access to media programs by way of a physical mediadistribution channel. In certain examples, these distribution models1102 may be referred to as a “subscription” digital distribution model1102-1, an “on-demand” or “rent/buy” digital distribution model 1102-2,and a “physical” or “kiosk” distribution model 1102-3.

Media programs distributed by implementation 1000 as part of the mediadistribution service may be assigned (e.g., by a provider of the mediadistribution service) to one or more of the distribution models providedby implementation 1000. For example, certain media programs may be madeavailable by way of all of the distribution models and certain mediaprograms may be made available by way of only a subset of thedistribution models (e.g., by way of only a subscription-based anddigital channel-based distribution model, only a transaction-based anddigital channel-based distribution model, only a physical channel-baseddistribution model, only a transaction-based distribution model, etc.).

In certain examples, assignments of media programs to distributionmodels may change over time. For example, for a first period of time, amedia program may be distributed by way of distribution model 1102-3only. At the end of that period of time, the media program may leavedistribution model 1102-3, meaning that the media program is no longeraccessible by way of distribution model 1102-3. For a second period oftime, however, the same media program may be distributed by way ofdistribution model 1102-2 only. For example, when the media programleaves distribution model 1102-3, the media program may be added todistribution model 1102-2. At the end of the second period of time, thesame media program may leave distribution model 1102-2 and be assignedto distribution model 1102-1. This example is illustrative only, a mediaprogram may be made accessible by way of different distribution modelsor specific combinations of distribution models for specific periods oftime, and may be added to or removed from any distribution model in anysuitable way.

Implementation 1000 may maintain and/or otherwise have access to datarepresenting relationships between media programs and distributionmodels by way of which the media programs are distributed. Such data mayindicate to which distribution models the media programs are assignedand periods of time for the assignments (e.g., periods of time duringwhich media programs are assigned to the distribution models). This datamay be maintained in any suitable way, including in distinct sourcecatalogues respectively associated with the distribution models, in anintegrated catalogue associated with all of the distribution models(e.g., an integrated catalogue that includes an aggregation ofnon-redundant data included in the source catalogues), or a combinationof such source catalogues and an integrated catalogue.

In certain examples, media management facility 102 may use a library ofon-demand media content associated with any of the on-demand mediadistribution models provided by implementation 1000, such as a digitalsubscription-based media distribution model and/or a digitaltransactional-based media distribution model provided by implementation1000, to generate and/or maintain discrete installments of mediaprograms in any of the ways described herein. In certain examples, mediamanagement facility 102 may provide installment-by-installment access todiscrete installments of a media program in any of the ways describedherein as part of the media distribution service provided byimplementation 1000.

FIGS. 12-13 illustrate exemplary methods 1200 and 1300 of facilitatinginstallment-by-installment consumption of discrete installments of aunitary media program according to principles described herein. WhileFIGS. 12-13 illustrate exemplary steps according to certain embodiments,other embodiments may omit, add to, reorder, combine, and/or modify anyof the steps shown in FIGS. 12-13. In certain embodiments, one or moreof the steps shown in FIGS. 12-13 may be performed by system 100 and/orone or more components or implementations of system 100.

Turning to the method 1200 illustrated in FIG. 12, in step 1202, asystem (e.g., system 100) divides a unitary media program into aplurality of contiguous segments, such as described herein.

In step 1204, the system forms, from the plurality of contiguoussegments, a plurality of discrete installments of the unitary mediaprogram, such as described herein. Each discrete installment may includea different contiguous segment and/or may be configured to be processedas a standalone unit in a media access operation, as described herein.

In step 1206, the system provides installment-by-installment access tothe plurality of discrete installments of the unitary media program,such as described herein. For example, the system may provide serializedaccess to the discrete installments to facilitate serialized consumptionof the unitary media program installment-by-installment, such asdescribed herein.

Turning to the method 1300 illustrated in FIG. 13, in step 1302, asystem (e.g., system 100) maintains data representative of a unitarymedia program. For example, system 100 may maintain such data in storagefacility 106, as described herein.

In step 1304, the system generates a plurality of discrete installmentsof the unitary media program, such as described herein. For example, thesystem may divide the unitary media program into a plurality ofcontiguous segments and form, from the plurality of contiguous segments,the plurality of discrete installments of the unitary media program,such as described herein. Each discrete installment may include adifferent contiguous segment and/or may be configured to be processed asa standalone unit in a media access operation, as described herein.

In step 1306, the system maintains data representative of the pluralityof discrete installments of the unitary media program. For example,system 100 may maintain such data in storage facility 106, as describedherein.

In step 1308, the system provides a user selectable option to access theunitary media program by way of a normal-access mode or aninstallment-access mode, such as described herein. For example, thesystem may provide a user with an option configured to be selected bythe user to access the unitary media program by way of aninstallment-access mode (e.g., a serialized-access mode), such asdescribed herein.

In step 1310, the system provides installment-by-installment access tothe plurality of discrete installments of the unitary media program,such as described herein. In certain examples, step 1310 may beperformed in response to a user selection of an option to access theunitary media program by way of an installment-access mode.

In certain embodiments, one or more of the processes described hereinmay be implemented at least in part as instructions embodied in anon-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by one or morecomputing devices. In general, a processor (e.g., a microprocessor)receives instructions, from a non-transitory computer-readable medium,(e.g., a memory), and executes those instructions, thereby performingone or more processes, including one or more of the processes describedherein. Such instructions may be stored and/or transmitted using any ofa variety of known computer-readable media.

A computer-readable medium (also referred to as a processor-readablemedium) includes any non-transitory medium that participates inproviding data (e.g., instructions) that may be read by a computer(e.g., by a processor of a computer). Such a medium may take many forms,including, but not limited to, non-volatile media and/or volatile media.Non-volatile media may include, for example, optical or magnetic disksand other persistent memory. Volatile media may include, for example,dynamic random access memory (“DRAM”), which typically constitutes amain memory. Common forms of computer-readable media include, forexample, a disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, aCompact Disc Read-Only Memory (“CD-ROM”), a Digital Versatile Disc(“DVD”), any other optical medium, a Random-Access Memory (“RAM”), aProgrammable ROM (“PROM”), an Erasable PROM (“EPROM”), a FlashElectrically EPROM (“FLASH-EEPROM”), any other memory chip or cartridge,or any other tangible medium from which a computer can read.

FIG. 14 illustrates an exemplary computing device 1400 that may beconfigured to perform one or more of the processes described herein. Asshown in FIG. 14, computing device 1400 may include a communicationinterface 1402, a processor 1404, a storage device 1406, and aninput/output (“I/O”) module 1408 communicatively connected via acommunication infrastructure 1410. While an exemplary computing device1400 is shown in FIG. 14, the components illustrated in FIG. 14 are notintended to be limiting. Additional, fewer, or alternative componentsmay be used in other embodiments. Components of computing device 1400shown in FIG. 14 will now be described in additional detail.

Communication interface 1402 may be configured to communicate with oneor more computing devices. Examples of communication interface 1402include, without limitation, a wired network interface (such as anetwork interface card), a wireless network interface (such as awireless network interface card), a modem, an audio/video connection,and any other suitable interface.

Processor 1404 generally represents any type or form of processing unitcapable of processing data or interpreting, executing, and/or directingexecution of one or more of the instructions, processes, and/oroperations described herein. Processor 1404 may execute and/or directexecution of operations as directed by one or more applications 1412 orother computer-executable instructions such as may be stored in storagedevice 1406 or another computer-readable medium.

Storage device 1406 may include one or more data storage media, devices,or configurations and may employ any type, form, and combination of datastorage media and/or device. For example, storage device 1406 mayinclude, but is not limited to, a hard drive, network drive, flashdrive, magnetic disc, optical disc, RAM, DRAM, other non-volatile and/orvolatile data storage units, or a combination or sub-combinationthereof. Electronic data, including data described herein, may betemporarily and/or permanently stored in storage device 1406. Forexample, data representative of one or more applications 1412 configuredto direct processor 1404 to perform any of the operations describedherein may be stored within storage device 1406. In some examples, datamay be arranged in one or more databases residing within storage device1406.

I/O module 1408 may be configured to receive user input and provide useroutput and may include any hardware, firmware, software, or combinationthereof supportive of input and output capabilities. For example, I/Omodule 1408 may include hardware and/or software for capturing userinput, including, but not limited to, a keyboard or keypad, a touchscreen component (e.g., touch screen display), a receiver (e.g., an RFor infrared receiver), and/or one or more input buttons.

I/O module 1408 may include one or more devices for presenting output toa user, including, but not limited to, a graphics engine, a display(e.g., a display screen), one or more output drivers (e.g., displaydrivers), one or more audio speakers, and one or more audio drivers. Incertain embodiments, I/O module 1408 is configured to provide graphicaldata to a display for presentation to a user. The graphical data may berepresentative of one or more GUI views and/or any other graphicalcontent as may serve a particular implementation.

In some examples, any of the facilities described herein may beimplemented by or within one or more components of computing device1400. For example, one or more applications 1412 residing within storagedevice 1406 may be configured to direct processor 1404 to perform one ormore processes or functions associated with media management facility102 and/or user interface facility 104. Likewise, storage facility 106may be implemented by or within storage device 1406. Such animplementation may be referred to as a computer-implemented system, suchas a computer-implemented media service system 100.

To the extent the aforementioned embodiments collect, store, and/oremploy personal information provided by individuals, it should beunderstood that such information shall be used in accordance with allapplicable laws concerning protection of personal information.Additionally, the collection, storage, and use of such information maybe subject to consent of the individual to such activity, for example,through well known “opt-in” or “opt-out” processes as may be appropriatefor the situation and type of information. Storage and use of personalinformation may be in an appropriately secure manner reflective of thetype of information, for example, through various encryption andanonymization techniques for particularly sensitive information.

To the extent the aforementioned embodiments may modify media programsand/or provide alternative ways for users to access and/or consume mediaprograms, it should be understood that such operations shall be used inaccordance with all applicable laws and/or agreements concerningprotection of media programs and the rights of owners and/ordistributors of media programs. One or more of the operations describedherein may be subject to the consent and/or agreement of one or moreentities, such as owners and/or distributors of media programs.

In the preceding description, various exemplary embodiments have beendescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will, however,be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto,and additional embodiments may be implemented, without departing fromthe scope of the invention as set forth in the claims that follow. Forexample, certain features of one embodiment described herein may becombined with or substituted for features of another embodimentdescribed herein. The description and drawings are accordingly to beregarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: dividing, by acomputer-implemented media service system, a unitary media program intoa plurality of contiguous segments; forming, by the computer-implementedmedia service system from the plurality of contiguous segments, aplurality of discrete installments of the unitary media program, eachdiscrete installment in the plurality of discrete installmentsconfigured to be processed as a standalone unit in a media accessoperation, the forming of the plurality of discrete installmentscomprising selecting and appending, by the computer-implemented mediaservice system based on one or more predefined selection factors,supplemental content to at least one of a beginning and an end of acontiguous segment included in the plurality of contiguous segments toform a discrete installment included in the plurality of discreteinstallments, the supplemental content comprising at least one of arecap of a sequentially previous contiguous segment included in theplurality of contiguous segments, and a preview of a sequentiallysubsequent contiguous segment included in the plurality of contiguoussegments; and providing, by the computer-implemented media servicesystem, an end user of a media service with installment-by-installmentaccess to the plurality of discrete installments of the unitary mediaprogram; wherein the selecting of the supplemental content based on theone or more predefined selection factors comprises selecting thesupplemental content based on community-favored scenes in at least oneof the sequentially previous contiguous segment and the sequentiallysubsequent contiguous segment of the unitary media program.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the dividing of the unitary media programinto the plurality of contiguous segments comprises: identifying atleast one division point within the unitary media program based on atleast one division factor specified by an installment generationheuristic; and splitting the unitary media program at the identified atleast one division point to divide the unitary media program into theplurality of contiguous segments.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein theat least one division factor indicates that the identifying of the atleast one division point within the unitary media program is based on atleast one of: one or more community-favored scenes in the unitary mediaprogram; a user-defined preferred length of the discrete installments ofthe unitary media program; one or more natural breaks in scenes in theunitary media program; one or more camera view switches in the unitarymedia program; and one or more predefined chapters in the unitary mediaprogram.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing of the end userwith the installment-by-installment access to the plurality of discreteinstallments of the unitary media program is configured to facilitate aninstallment-by-installment consumption of the unitary media program inmultiple, discrete playback sessions of the plurality of discreteinstallments.
 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising providing, bythe computer-implemented media service system, an option for selectionby the end user to access the unitary media program by way of anormal-access mode or a serialized-access mode; the normal-access modeconfigured to facilitate a start-to-finish consumption of the unitarymedia program in a single playback session of the unitary media program,and the serialized-access mode configured to facilitate theinstallment-by-installment consumption of the unitary media program inthe multiple, discrete playback sessions of the plurality of discreteinstallments.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the providing of the enduser with the installment-by-installment access to the plurality ofdiscrete installments of the unitary media program is performed inresponse to a selection by the end user to access the unitary mediaprogram by way of the serialized-access mode.
 7. The method of claim 1,embodied as computer-executable instructions on at least onenon-transitory computer-readable medium.
 8. The method of claim 1,wherein the selecting of the supplemental content based on the one ormore predefined selection factors further comprises selecting thesupplemental content based on a user-defined preferred length of thediscrete installments of the unitary media program.
 9. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the dividing of the unitary media program into theplurality of contiguous segments comprises identifying the plurality ofcontiguous segments based on a user-defined preferred length of thediscrete installments of the unitary media program.
 10. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the dividing of the unitary media program into theplurality of contiguous segments comprises identifying the plurality ofcontiguous segments based on at least one division factor other thanpredefined chapters in the unitary media program.
 11. A methodcomprising: maintaining, by a computer-implemented media service system,data representative of a unitary media program; generating, by thecomputer-implemented media service system, a plurality of discreteinstallments from the unitary media program by dividing the unitarymedia program into a plurality of different contiguous segments andforming, from the plurality of the different contiguous segments, theplurality of discrete installments of the unitary media program, theforming of the plurality of discrete installments comprising selectingand appending supplemental content to a beginning of a contiguoussegment included in the plurality of the different contiguous segmentsto form a discrete installment included in the plurality of discreteinstallments, the supplemental content comprising a recap of asequentially previous contiguous segment included in the plurality ofthe different contiguous segments, the selecting of the supplementalcontent based on community-favored scenes in the sequentially previouscontiguous segment included in the plurality of the different contiguoussegments; maintaining, by the computer-implemented media service system,data representative of the plurality of discrete installments of theunitary media program, each discrete installment in the plurality ofdiscrete installments configured to be processed as a standalone unit ina media access operation; and providing, by the computer-implementedmedia service system, a user selectable option to access the unitarymedia program by way of a normal-access mode or a serialized-accessmode, the normal-access mode configured to facilitate a start-to-finishconsumption of the unitary media program in a single playback session ofthe unitary media program, and the serialized-installment-access modeconfigured to facilitate an installment-by-installment consumption ofthe unitary media program in multiple discrete playback sessions of theplurality of discrete installments.
 12. The method of claim 11, whereinthe forming of the plurality of discrete installments further comprisesappending additional supplemental content to an end of the contiguoussegment included in the plurality of the different contiguous segmentsto form the discrete installment included in the plurality of discreteinstallments, the additional supplemental content comprising a previewof a sequentially subsequent contiguous segment included in theplurality of the different contiguous segments.
 13. The method of claim11, embodied as computer-executable instructions on at least onenon-transitory computer-readable medium.
 14. A system comprising: atleast one physical computing device that: divides a unitary mediaprogram into a plurality of contiguous segments; forms, from theplurality of contiguous segments, a plurality of discrete installmentsof the unitary media program, each discrete installment in the pluralityof discrete installments configured to be processed as a standalone unitin a media access operation, wherein the at least one physical computingdevice forms the plurality of discrete installments by selecting andappending, based on one or more predefined selection factors,supplemental content to at least one of a beginning and an end of acontiguous segment included in the plurality of contiguous segments toform a discrete installment included in the plurality of discreteinstallments, the supplemental content comprising at least one of arecap of a sequentially previous contiguous segment included in theplurality of contiguous segments, and a preview of a sequentiallysubsequent contiguous segment included in the plurality of contiguoussegments; and provides an end user of a media service withinstallment-by-installment access to the plurality of discreteinstallments of the unitary media program; wherein the selecting of thesupplemental content based on the one or more predefined selectionfactors comprises selecting the supplemental content based oncommunity-favored scenes in at least one of the sequentially previouscontiguous segment and the sequentially subsequent contiguous segment ofthe unitary media program.
 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the atleast one physical computing device divides the unitary media programinto the plurality of contiguous segments by: identifying at least onedivision point within the unitary media program based on at least onedivision factor specified by an installment generation heuristic; andsplitting the unitary media program at the identified at least onedivision point to divide the unitary media program into the plurality ofcontiguous segments.
 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at leastone division factor indicates that the identifying of the at least onedivision point within the unitary media program is based on at least oneof: one or more community-favored scenes in the unitary media program; auser-defined preferred length of the discrete installments of theunitary media program; one or more natural breaks in scenes in theunitary media program; one or more camera view switches in the unitarymedia program; and one or more predefined chapters in the unitary mediaprogram.
 17. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one physicalcomputing device provides the end user with theinstallment-by-installment access to the plurality of discreteinstallments of the unitary media program by providing sequentialinstallment-by-installment access to the plurality of discreteinstallments for playback in multiple, discrete playback sessions of theplurality of discrete installments.
 18. The system of claim 17, whereinthe at least one physical computing device provides an option forselection by the end user to access the unitary media program by way ofa normal-access mode or a serialized-access mode; the normal-access modeconfigured to facilitate a start-to-finish consumption of the unitarymedia program in a single playback session of the unitary media program,and the serialized-access mode configured to facilitate sequentialinstallment-by-installment access to the plurality of discreteinstallments of the unitary media program for playback in multiple,discrete playback sessions of the plurality of discrete installments.19. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one physical computingdevice selects the supplemental content based on the one or morepredefined selection factors at least in part by selecting thesupplemental content based on a user-defined preferred length of thediscrete installments of the unitary media program.
 20. The system ofclaim 14, wherein the at least one physical computing device divides theunitary media program into the plurality of contiguous segments at leastin part by identifying the plurality of contiguous segments based on auser-defined preferred length of the discrete installments of theunitary media program.
 21. The system of claim 14, wherein the at leastone physical computing device divides the unitary media program into theplurality of contiguous segments by identifying the plurality ofcontiguous segments based on at least one division factor other thanpredefined chapters in the unitary media program.